"The Administration of the Bank accuse you of having bribed the croupiers and of tampering with the wheel," replied M. Eperon, twirling his moustache and looking very fierce.
"That is impossible," replied Delapine, "as the croupiers were changed each time they sent for more money."
The croupiers were brought in and cross-examined. They swore that they had never spoken a word to either the professor or the lady who was playing with him.
In the face of their denial it was seen to be useless to press the charge of bribery in connection with the croupiers, so after discharging them from further attendance, the Chef de Police decided that the solution of the mystery lay in the fact that Delapine and his accomplice must have tampered with the roulette wheel.
"But the wheel has been changed no less than three times," asserted Delapine, "and on the last occasion I heard it remarked that a new wheel was used."
Monsieur Eperon asked if it were true that a perfectly new wheel had been used, and on receiving a reply in the affirmative, shrugged his shoulders in a helpless manner.
A short consultation was then held, as a result of which a roulette wheel was sent for, and the Chef de Police himself spun it round.
"What number would you like the ball to fall into?" enquired Delapine quietly.
"No. 29," replied M. Eperon.
"29 be it," said Delapine, smiling, and as the wheel was spun round the little ball dropped into 29 as he had predicted.